Factsheet for measure
BE-2020-12/417
–
Updated
– measures in Belgium
Flemish interruption premium during COVID-19
Vlaamse Corona hinderpremie
Background information
Companies obliged to temporarily halt their activities because of the corona measures taken by the federal government may be eligible for the corona interruption premium of the Flemish government. The premium aims to compensate for the losses due to the companies inactivity. The compensation is a combination of a fixed sum of €4,000 for the period up until the 5 April 2020 with an additional premium €160 per day after the 5 April 2020.
Content of measure
The premium is directed towards companies that are forced to close due to the measures taken to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.
For the hotel and catering sector, it is sufficient that the consumption hall has to be closed in order to qualify for the corona interruption premium, even if collection and take-out services are still offered or other activities are carried out.
Apart from being forced to close other conditions apply:
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The company has a legal personality under private law or a foreign company registered in Belgium with a comparable status, with at least one working partner or one full-time equivalent (FTE) registered social security employee.
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In case of sole proprietorship: you are self-employed in your main profession.
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If it is an independent activity in a secondary occupation, they are only eligible if they pay similar social security contributions as a self-employed person in main occupation.
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If the association or non-profit organisation has at least one full-time equivalent (FTE) social security registered person.
Updates
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
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08 September 2020
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Until 5 April
For the period up to 5 April 2020, the premium amounted to €4000.
From 6 April 2020
As of 6 April 2020, all businesses and self-employed persons who received the corona interruption premium up to 5 April also automatically received €160 per mandatory closing day coinciding with a normal opening day.
After 8 June
Companies that had to remain completely closed for a longer period because of the federal corona measures, could benefit from the daily premium of €160 per additional closure day for the following closure periods (i.e. not companies that remained closed voluntarily). However, they had to apply for the daily premium online.
The last closure premium, which only applied to dance clubs and discotheques, expired on 31 August.
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20 June 2020
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The Flemish Government has decided to extend the duration of the premium until the 30 June for those entrepreneurs who are still obliged to physically close their company.
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Use of measure
According to data from the Flemish government, by December 2020 a total of 106,635 hindrance premiums were paid out to companies.
The amount of payments per province (in descending order):
Antwerpen: 35,382
Oost-Vlaanderen: 29,246
West-Vlaanderen: 28,038
Limburg: 18,428
Vlaams Brabant: 19,138
Outside of Flanders: 2,228
Target groups
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Workers
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Businesses
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Citizens
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Does not apply to workers
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Applies to all businesses
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Does not apply to citizens
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Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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Local / regional government
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Regional funds
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
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Trade unions
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Employers' organisations
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Role
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Informed
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Informed
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Form
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Not applicable
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Not applicable
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Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
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Unknown
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Main level of involvement: Unknown
Involvement
It is to be expected that the social partners were at least informed of the measure. The extent or their involvement is unclear.
Views and reactions
It is to be expected that the social partners were at least informed of the measure. The extent or their involvement is unclear.
Sources
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18 March 2020: Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
(www.vlaio.be)
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07 April 2020: Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
(www.vlaio.be)
